El Matador Y Su Amante
by ninja-curry-girl
Summary: Will Pastora and Guillermo ever be together? Will Pastora reveal all her secrets? Will Guillermo accept her for who she is? Will Leo and Reyna ever see the end of the episode?
1. Guilty Pleasures

"[No, Guillermo. This is enough. I cannot be with you any longer.]"

"[But Pastora–]"

"[No! I cannot take this anymore!]"

"Say it," Reyna breathed. She was leaning forward on her beanbag, her arms wrapped around her knees and eyes staring intently at the television. "He's going to say it, isn't he?"

Leo nodded slowly as he carefully lifted a single popcorn from his bowl and placed it in his mouth, chewing warily so as not to make too much of a sound while crunching.

"[I cannot run away with you, Guillermo! My father will hit me!]"

"[Your father cannot hit you when you are away!]"

"[But then I have dishonoured my name, my family . . . my cow! Go, Guillermo. Leave my life. It is better this way.]"

"[But Pastora!]"

"Oh gods," Leo whispered, the popcorn bowl slipping from his grasp and clattering noiselessly onto the soft carpet.

"[Guillermo, I told you–]"

"[No, Pastora. Let me tell _you_.]"

"Yes, Guillermo," Reyna urged, "You tell her." By this point, she had already begun biting her nails.

"[There is something I have wanted to tell you since the very first day I met you.]"

Leo's hands were shaking. "The very first day," he murmured.

"[I remember seeing you on the other side of the room and thinking, 'Why, she is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen!']"

"[Oh, Guillermo!]"

"[But that is not all! I have been thinking, Pastora. I have been thinking about you and I.]"

"Great mother of Jupiter." Reyna's head was so far forward that, any further, she would have rolled over onto her back.

"[You were thinking about us?]"

"[Yes. And I have decided, Pastora. I have decided that it is time.]"

"[Time for what?]"

"Stupid b–" Leo cursed at the screen until Reyna shushed him.

"He's going to say it!" she hissed.

"[Oh, Pastora. I have loved you for so long.]"

"[But Guillermo, it has only been five months.]"

"[And I know I do not have much money.]"

"[That does not matter to me!]"

"[But for you, I would do anything. So I went to the pawnbroker, and I gave him my Matador belt.]"

"[What?]"

"[For you, Pastora! So I could buy you this!]"

"[BREAKING NEWS, SPAIN BEATS ITALY IN THE 2012 EURO–]"

"Are you SERIOUS?" Leo flopped into Reyna's beanbag.

"I'll let my dogs loose on you!" Reyna shrieked and pounded her fist on the ground.

They waited silently as the newsbreak refused to end. Neither of them cared about a stupid European soccer tournament, but, according the Spanish television broadcasters, they were the minority.

"They shouldn't even be having soccer tournaments with the whole Euro Zone Debt Crisis thing going on," Reyna huffed.

"The what crisis?"

Reyna sighed. "Never mind."

Five minutes passed, then ten, and the fifteen. Reyna was sprawled across her beanbag and Leo was fidgeting with the TV remote.

"You know," Leo muttered, "If I can get this thing to be able to switch on any device in the world, I'd be rich."

"We've missed it, haven't we?"

"Huh?"

"Don't you remember? _El Matador Y Su Amante_. Guillermo was going to ask Pastora to marry him!"

"Oh yeah," Leo frowned, "He's probably said it already. I wonder what Pastora said to that."

"Maybe she said 'yes' and then ran away with him!" Reyna's eyes sparkled with delight.

"Or maybe," Leo pondered, his eyes equally bright, "She said 'no' because she has a son from an earlier affair with another man and the son is now kept in that man's basement and she secretly visits him every week without the man's knowledge!"

Reyna blinked. "No, that's too predictable."

"If I get it right, you and I have to go on a date."

"Real smooth, Valdez."

"Oh, it's _on_, praetor."

"[Last time, on _El Matador Y Su Amante_.]"

"[If I see you with that man one more time, I will hit you!]"

"[But papa, I love him!]"

"[Run away with me, Pastora!]"

"[I cannot be with you any longer.]"

"[Will you marry me?]"

"[No!]"

"[You should be careful of that Pastora. That girl has more secrets than you know.]"

"[Tell me, Pastora! Tell me what it is that you are hiding!]"

"[I have a son, Moises, with another man. Poor baby, he is locked up in a basement. But I visit him every day, in secret. His father will never know.]"

"So," Leo grinned over at Reyna, "Would you like a candlelight dinner, or a romantic walk on the beach?"


	2. End notes

Leo walked Reyna to her front door at the Praetor's quarters. Because that's what people did after a date, right? It was supposed to be romantic, or something. Besides, after how disastrous the entire affair had been, he had to make it up to her somehow. Even if she hadn't really wanted to be walked back …

Reyna's place was huge. Sometimes Leo wondered if the entire house wasn't too cold and empty for just one person. But then again, this was Reyna.

Why did he always fall for those ice-cold personality types?

Reyna turned her and fixed her obsidian eyes on him. Seriously, it was like this girl had no irises at all. Was that even human?

"You can go home now, Valdez," she said.

Leo shivered. He wasn't sure if it was because of the cold, or because of the look she was giving him. He swore the air around them just got frostier.

Reyna sighed, her breath puffing out in a cloud of vapour. "Thanks for the walk back, I guess."

Leo finally picked up the courage to speak. "So … fun day, huh?"

Reyna shot that icy glare at him again. "You set the tablecloth on fire."

Leo slumped. And so it had begun.

"And there was wax all over the table, from that candle. A son of Vulcan should know better."

"Hepheastus," Leo muttered.

"Whatever." Reyna's breath pooled out onto Leo's face. He might've even seen an icicle forming on the tip of his nose. "And that's not even the worst part. If you were even a little bit sorry, it might have been okay. But you spent the entire evening teasing me about this stupid bet."

Yeah, bad move, Valdez. Leo had known the minute those words came out of his mouth that they would come back to haunt him eventually.

"Also," Reyna continued, "You ate so messily that bits of food kept flying at my face."

Leo was hoping she didn't notice that.

"And you ordered us lobster when you know that I'm severely allergic."

What was worrying him more was that she was reciting this whole thing while keeping a total poker face.

"And then, in order to 'help' me, you threw a whole jar of Kool-Aid on me."

"Yeah …" Leo scratched the back of his neck. He was in a whole mess of trouble now. "Look, I'm sorry it didn't turn out so great."

Reyna looked away from him and opened her purse. He stood and watched as she fished around in it and pulled out a pair of keys. It was only when she had turned the lock that he had the courage to grab her arm.

"Hey," he said. She raised her eyebrow at him. He had her full attention now. He sighed. There was definitely a very _large_ icicle on his nose now. "You're right. I messed up our date. But," he held up his palms in surrender, "In my defence, I wasn't aware that you considered it an actual date …"

Reyna rolled her eyes. "It didn't _have_ to be an actual date, Leo." She crossed her arms. "I just wanted to have fun. With you."

_With you_. The way she said it made his insides feel funny. And not in the stand-up comedian kind of way.

He shifted, looking down at his feet. "Maybe we should've gone for the romantic walk by the beach thing."

Even if it was only for a fleeting moment, a smile tugged at Reyna's lips, and there was a slight twinkle in her eyes. She stepped down from the doorway and walked towards Leo, hugging herself tighter.

"There's no beach around here, Valdez," she pointed out.

"Then maybe a romantic walk through the Fields of Mars?"

"In the middle of all those bloodthirsty fighting Romans?"

She was teasing him. This was slightly more comfortable. Maybe it was time for Leo to draw out the big guns.

"Oh baby, once they see Mister Hot Stuff walk through they'll drop their weapons and swoon all over me."

Reyna raised an eyebrow. There was no sign of a smile or any acknowledgement of the joke in her eyes or on her lips. Leo's ears were ringing, and all he could think was 'Bad move, bad move, _bad move_!'.

But instead, Reyna inched closer and took his hand in hers. Her fingers were so cold they bit into his skin, but Leo didn't mind.

He also didn't mind hearing the next thing Reyna said. Over and over again.

"Just shut up and kiss me, hot stuff."

* * *

**Author's note:** So I just decided to check up on this story and I saw the last three words of this chapter were missing.

WHICH IS A SHAME BECAUSE THE LAST _TWO_ WORDS ARE LIKE THE BEST IN THE WHOLE THING.

Gah. Sorry folks.


	3. Bonus chapter!

Leo walked Reyna to her front door at the Praetor's quarters. Because that's what people did after a date, right? It was supposed to be romantic, or something. Besides, after how disastrous the entire affair had been, he had to make it up to her somehow. Even if she hadn't really wanted to be walked back …

Reyna's place was huge. Sometimes Leo wondered if the entire house wasn't too cold and empty for just one person. But then again, this was Reyna.

Why did he always fall for those ice-cold personality types?

Reyna turned her and fixed her obsidian eyes on him. Seriously, it was like this girl had no irises at all. Was that even human?

"You can go home now, Valdez," she said.

Leo shivered. He wasn't sure if it was because of the cold, or because of the look she was giving him. He swore the air around them just got frostier.

Reyna sighed, her breath puffing out in a cloud of vapour. "Thanks for the walk back, I guess."

Leo finally picked up the courage to speak. "So … fun day, huh?"

Reyna shot that icy glare at him again. "You set the tablecloth on fire."

Leo slumped. And so it had begun.

"And there was wax all over the table, from that candle. A son of Vulcan should know better."

"Hepheastus," Leo muttered.

"Whatever." Reyna's breath pooled out onto Leo's face. He might've even seen an icicle forming on the tip of his nose. "And that's not even the worst part. If you were even a little bit sorry, it might have been okay. But you spent the entire evening teasing me about this stupid bet."

Yeah, bad move, Valdez. Leo had known the minute those words came out of his mouth that they would come back to haunt him eventually.

"Also," Reyna continued, "You ate so messily that bits of food kept flying at my face."

Leo was hoping she didn't notice that.

"And you ordered us lobster when you know that I'm severely allergic."

What was worrying him more was that she was reciting this whole thing while keeping a total poker face.

"And then, in order to 'help' me, you threw a whole jar of Kool-Aid on me."

"Yeah …" Leo scratched the back of his neck. He was in a whole mess of trouble now. "Look, I'm sorry it didn't turn out so great."

Reyna looked away from him and opened her purse. He stood and watched as she fished around in it and pulled out a pair of keys. It was only when she had turned the lock that he had the courage to grab her arm.

"Hey," he said. She raised her eyebrow at him. He had her full attention now. He sighed. There was definitely a very _large_ icicle on his nose now. "You're right. I messed up our date. But," he held up his palms in surrender, "In my defence, I wasn't aware that you considered it an actual date …"

Reyna rolled her eyes. "It didn't _have_ to be an actual date, Leo." She crossed her arms. "I just wanted to have fun. With you."

_With you_. The way she said it made his insides feel funny. And not in the stand-up comedian kind of way.

He shifted, looking down at his feet. "Maybe we should've gone for the romantic walk by the beach thing."

Even if it was only for a fleeting moment, a smile tugged at Reyna's lips, and there was a slight twinkle in her eyes. She stepped down from the doorway and walked towards Leo, hugging herself tighter.

"There's no beach around here, Valdez," she pointed out.

"Then maybe a romantic walk through the Fields of Mars?"

"In the middle of all those bloodthirsty fighting Romans?"

She was teasing him. This was slightly more comfortable. Maybe it was time for Leo to draw out the big guns.

"Oh baby, once they see Mister Hot Stuff walk through they'll drop their weapons and swoon all over me."

Reyna raised an eyebrow. There was no sign of a smile or any acknowledgement of the joke in her eyes or on her lips. Leo's ears were ringing, and all he could think was 'Bad move, bad move, _bad move_!'.

But instead, Reyna inched closer and took his hand in hers. Her fingers were so cold they bit into his skin, but Leo didn't mind.

He also didn't mind hearing the next thing Reyna said. Over and over again.

"Just shut up and kiss


End file.
